Liu Seong Gung Fu

(Two fighters "squaring off")

Open stance - opponents have opposite sides facing one another, so that their knees and/or and/or shoulders are facing in the same absolute (compass) direction. That is, the two combatants approximately mirror one another

Closed stance - opponents have the same side forward, such that if they were standing side-by-side instead of facing one another, they'd be in approximately the same position.

Or....

(One person's position)

Open stance - if the lines made by one's feet (heel to toe) were extended, they would connect behind the heels.

Closed stance - if the lines made by one's feet (heel to toe) were extended, they would connect in front of the toes.


Are there any other uses of these terms? They seem rather "intuitive" to experienced martial artists, but to a beginner, the terms can sometimes be pretty confusing.

Here's my take on the above subjects.
Fighting toe to toe, orthodox vs. southpaw. I prefer this matchup,I can attack the outside of his lead jab or kick, and angle back into his center and have him fighting off his ankles. So my open side is attacking his closed, or my inside is attacking his outside. Both terms can mean the same depending on the teacher.
Using the lion stance (3 point), open means using your hands, elbows or weapon to use to protect the groin area. The pic of Reeders using the tjabangs is a (open lion). A closed lion is bringing in the extended leg tight into the center so to use the shins to protect the groin.
Using a boxing stance, (shoulder width stance)when the back knee is a fist width from the front knee you are in a ape stance, when the knee's touch you are in a monkey stance. (Kwitang form)

Sifu Dan

Hi Mike,

I'll try to jump in here and if I miss the mark, sifu Dan will save me.

{;0)

When going "toe to toe", you can either wait for your opponent to strike with the jab OR as we prefer, use a guard control to enter his oustide. Once there, you pivot on the balls of your towards his weak plane (Mike, I remember your zone box well and it fits nicely with this example). When you advance in the direction of his weak plane, your opponent will have to retreat or get run over, exposing his ankles for the breakin'.

Much of what we train (Sifu Dan and his students, that is) is designed to either keep your opponent on his heels so he can't fight back effectively or to expose an ankle or two so we can stomp them.

IF YOUR OPPONENT CAN'T STAND UP HE CAN'T FIGHT!

I think that about covers it.

In peace, Jerry

Grasshopper jerry is correct.sifu dan